Forge clamp



P. A. LEACH.

FORGE CLAMP. APPLICATION man JAN.3I, I92I.

Patented July 18, 1922.

PHILIP A. LEACI-I, OF EAST IBR-IMFIELD, IJXASSACIIUSETTS.

none-E CLAMP.

i,et23,il23.

Application filed. January 31, 1921. Serial No. 441,283.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP A. LEACH, a citizen of the United States,residing at East Brimfield, in the county of IIampden and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Forge Clamp, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a clamp which,

I have found particularly valuable for use in the fastening of the toparch of a forge, but although I have designed it especially for thatuse, it is capable of general use and is adapted for clamping cementforms and various other structures.

7 The principal object of the invention is to provide a construction ofclamp consisting of a pair of castings or forgings and means for holdingthem together, with an ellicient and simple means for exerting pressurebetween the two members in such a way that the clamping jaws will beforced toward each other at a distance from the top of the clamp withany desired degree of pressure; and also to provide these parts in suchform that they can be made with very little machining or other expensivework.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 isa front elevation of a forge or heating furnace showing a plurality ofclamps applied thereto and embodying the features of this invention, and

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same.

The arch of this furnace or forge is shown as formed of a plurality offire bricks 10 set up edgewise and having a horizontal surface for thetop. This surface is shown as covered. by a metal plate 11 which doesnot constitute a part of the clamp. The front of the furnace is alsoshown as closed by two lire bricks 12 set up end to end flatwise.

I employ the clamp which the subject of this invention to clamp and holdthe two front bricks 12 as well as two courses of arch bricks 10. Itwill be understood that these bricks 10 and 12 are located on the top ofthe forge or furnace which has an opening 13 in the front through whichthe pieces of metal to be heated are inserted and withdrawn. I haveshown two of the clamps at the top and one of them at the front. As theyare all constructed in the same way I will describe only one of them indetail.

The clamp consists of two castings or Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 18, 19233.

forgings 20 both exactly alike as they are originally constructed. 'Eachof them is provided with a horizontal body 21 and with a vertical jaw 22at the end of the same, and substantially at right angles to itpreferably. This jaw is a right angle projection on the end of the bodyand opposite it is a projection 23 which is perforated to provide a bolthole. This preferably is connected with the main body 21 by a web 24;

for strengthening purposes. In the same way the opposite end of theclamp member is provided in the form of an arm 25. This is locatedsubstantially at right angles to the main body 21 and parallel to thejaw 22. its point of connection with the body is strengthened and itextends up a material distance above the flat main body 21.

In the manufacture of the clamp two of these members are formed andplaced together with their arms 25 adjacent to each other and their jaws22 located at opposite ends of the structure. The two projections 23 andthe two arms 25 are provided with bolt holes in alignment with eachother and a bolt 26 is passed through them, parallel with the main body21. Its nuts are screwed up to bring the upper ends of the jawssubstantially in contact with the bricks or other elements which it isdesigned to clamp.

The two arms 25, although described as parallel with each other,preferably are made to diverge slightly by placing them at a slightangle to the vertical. Through one of them is tapped a hole for a pressure screw 27 and the other one may be provided with a depression forreceiving the end of it if desired. This is the only difference in theconstruction of the two halves of the clamp.

After the clamp is set up in the manner above indicated the screw 27 isscrewed up as tight as may be necessary in order to force the lower endsof the jaws 22 toward each other withsuflicient pressure to firmly gripthe bricks or other structure to which the clamp is to be applied. Thisconstitutes an easily operated clamp of simple construction, consistingof few parts, and involving very little expensive machine work. Itprovides an efiicient leverage for the purpose intended and exerts thepressure at a distance from the top of the article which is being held.

It is to be noted that the bolt 26 not only constitutes means forholding the two members of the clamp together but the nuts, or head andnut, on its ends serve to prevent the jaws from moving about at the top,and in fact constitute in effect pivots on which these aws can be causedto swing by the pressure exerted by the screw 27. In this way the bolt26 serves two purposes eli'ectively.

When used for a forge or annealing or.

from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claim.

Thereltore i. do not wish to be limited to all the details ofconstruction herein shown and described, or to the particular useillustrated, but what I do claim is:-

.ln a clamp, the combination of a pair of members each having ahorizontal main portion and two arms or projections extending upwardlythere'lirom at opposite ends, and a jaw extending downwardly therefromin. alignment with one of said projections, means extending through thetwo pairs of arms and projections just above the horizontal position forpivotally conneeting them together at that point, and means mounted onone of the arms for engaging the corresponding arm on the other memberand forcing them apart at their extreme ends.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto atiixed my signature.

PHILIP A. LEACH.

